Storied Treasures

Yesterday marked the 70th anniversary of the sinking of the Italian luxury liner Andrea Doria!

The beautiful Liner was enroute from Genoa, Italy to New York when, on July 25th, 1956, she collided with the S.S. Stockholm in the foggy waters off Nantucket. The ship took a sharp list, rendering half the lifeboats unusable, but the responding vessels were able to arrive within hours and thus all but 46 passengers & crew were RESCUED! The Doria sank just over 11 hours after the collision, the end of what many had dubbed the greatest sea rescue of all time. The controversy still rains over the cause of the collision... Both the Andrea Doria and the Stockholm were equipped with radar. Both gave contradictory testimony at the board of enquiry as to the sea state and weather conditions as well as difference of opinion in range and course with regards to the radar. In the end equal blame was placed, and the controversy remains hotly debated. The Andrea Doria still lies where she sang in 1956 off the coast of Nantucket... Dubbed the "Mount Everest of shipwreck diving" her crumbling wreckage has killed over a dozen divers since she went down. Still, the allure of treasure and history continues to draw divers to the wreck in search of answers to one of many mysteries still lingering from her demise.

Pictures are just some of the Andrea Doria items in my personal collection... Also coming soon will be The full testimony of an Andrea Doria survivor that I just recently located and transcribed... Some exciting things in store.

My apologies to all, I would have posted yesterday or the day before but as the old saying goes... "Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans"

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!!

250 years of Freedom!!!!

So, an appropriate post about today, as my Aunt Lynda has surprised me with some new genealogy news...

In December of 2024 I joined the Sons of the American Revolution. Though my family tree had several names affiliated with the war for our Independence, some names were only distantly related... But I got one... And now two.

Directly related to me is Jacob George Smithers/Smeathers Sr 1745 - 1826

My great-great-great-great-great grandfather
Jacob Smithers was of all things, a Frontier Ranger out of North Hampton Frontier, Pennsylvania. Information is very scarce, since I have dates and a location but actual "Battlefield reports" or even 'reports' are few and far between. He may or may not have participated in the Indian War, and might have been involved in the 'Sugarloaf Massacre' but records are sketchy and spelling variations are plentiful lol.

That being said... Not so for my newly discovered 3rd cousin... GEORGE WALTON one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. His history is too great to type soooo google him ;)

Meantime, everyone have a safe, blessed, and PATRIOTIC Fourth of July! God Bless the U.S.A!!!

Coming soon to a DistroKid, YouTube, and Facebook release near you... And by soon, I mean probably end of the week lol

We'll be kicking off a 'soft-launch' of the secondary YT channel, and hopefully this, as well as several other songs will be uploaded to my primary channel along with a re-visit to an old and trusted format... stay tuned for more by weeks end!

Storied Treasures website FINALLY got a small facelift and HOLY CRAP has it been a YEAR since I opened a ticket with those stupid Merch suppliers!? Yoikes! 😳

Added a new page to site for news and latest happenings... Because in the last 2 months there's been a LOT!

One thing that is currently in the works, is an independent magazine that I will be publishing and selling from a booth that I just opened in the city of San Pedro. Speaking of booths, the 'Storied Treasures Emporium' will also (apart from a merchandise outlet) be a semi platform for me to teach within the local community. Lately a lot of local happenings have been 'happening' lol and I apologize for the silence.

I would love nothing more on than to go back to the way I used to be... Where I could post and share everything and anything while it was being developed. Unfortunately, circumstances and prior sabotage won't allow me. So, trust me when I say, I am not dead, and neither is Storied Treasures. We just need to get ourselves back on track and that takes time. But God has been opening a lot of doors lately, and things are getting pretty exciting over here 😁 a lot in the pipeline.

Also can I say just for the record... How refreshing It is see so many smiling faces looking at this beautiful model as I transport it on the bus?

The past few da....no...the past few weeks have been an absolute blur of activity over here....

A new book project, multiple articles written, got some business venture kicking off in the next 2 weeks... Two brand new music videos in the pipeline... 15 new songs for the upcoming channel relaunch... Caught the Union Pacific Big Boy, And last but absolutely in no way shape or form the least.... The engagement to my longtime (20yr) friend and 'occasional girlfriend' (lol) Brittney on the 18th.

To say things have been busy is the understatement of the millennium thus far... A lot of exciting things are in the pipeline and I'm hoping following the next week or two I should have more consistent updates and planned posts to share. Not only posting for historical stuff, but also doing a bit more channel promotion for the music and for the storied treasures YouTube channel.

Oh and there's also a cruise... So yeah there's quite a bit in store lol 🤣

Don't ask me how I'm juggling all of this because God only knows and I'm just trusting him because with so much insanity and stuff going on I can do absolutely nothing but just that.

"This world's, lost it's mind, It's plain to see... But there's no changing, a single thing I believe. That my Savior died, and Rose again that third day. The son of God most high, he came to save us all equally.

*Chorus*
In the Shadow of Golgotha, I'm covered by his grace. By the power of his love, my heart has been restored. In the shelter of his arms, I'll stand forevermore. His life given up for me... My souls been reborn. In the Shadow of Golgotha, cleansed by his blood."
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A small excerpt of the lyrics I wrote from a song appropriately titled "In the Shadow of Golgotha." The song was written as a reflection of my own faith and belief in the Lord Jesus Christ, and that, despite my shortcomings and failures, Christ has always been the rock of my foundation. The Cornerstone of just about everything that I dream and scheme to do. I would have liked to release the song for Easter weekend, but it will be a little bit late. So much has (Praise God) been happening over here lately, everything from business dealings to serious life-altering decision making. There may or may not be more on all this next week.

Still, all good things, and I feel like, once again, Gods been nudging me in the direction of some good old fashioned 'Forced Growth.' So we'll see how that all goes... meantime, lets all take a moment to reflect on the true meaning of todays festivities... the day Death was Conquered, the spike broken... the cloth folded... the tomb... EMPTY.

"He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay" - Matthew 28:6

"O death, where is thy victory, O grave, where is thy sting?" - 1 Corinthians 15:55

God bless you all this Easter Sunday, as with every day. HE IS RISEN INDEED!!

There's too many April fools posts on Facebook... So here's two nice shots of an appropriate Clive Cussler book with my watch (a Seahunter edition) and the Lane Victory Lol

A long awaited update:

The past several months have seen a flurry of activity off page...

1. Revisions are underway for the website, the format is being changed to something a bit more simplistic.

2. Talks are underway for a physical brick and mortar shop to sell the numerous artifacts and relics I've collected through the years.

3. I shall be playing host to an upcoming Titanic function locally and displaying my 'choice pieces' as I talk about the ill-fated liner

4. Some of my music I've written has been tossed around and submitted for review for purchase *Crosses fingers*

5. There are now TWO Youtube Channels connected to my flagship 'Storied Treasures' and more on that later.

6. I may be returning to my old haunts... as a custom jewelry designer

7. And last but not least... I will soon be publishing a quarterly PULP STYLE MAGAZINE showcasing my previous expeditions, adventures, travels, and of course, the archival material I've collected these past 8 years.

Life has been a flurry of activity, and this doesn't even begin to describe my 'Personal' life or the aspects of me on the Lane Victory. I appreciate the patience everyone has shown, it has gone on far too long and Im feeling that the 'breakout' will be sooner than later, but then again I've said that before. Even so, expect some major overhauling before the Month of April comes to an end!

God only knows how this will all go... but I think I'm walking in the right direction now.